Remember last year’s ruling that DVD-editing services (which offered versions of popular movies with the violence/sex/language edited out) weren’t legal? Well, one of those companies is back in business, due to what might be considered a loophole: instead of actually giving you an edited version of the DVD, they provide you with a digital filter that runs alongside the film, masking objectionable content. Filmmakers can still complain that this meddles with their artistic vision, but they can’t claim that their works are being modified in violation of copyright law.
From a technical angle, it’s pretty clever. As far as editing services like this go, they don’t really appeal to me (and who knows if this’ll survive another round of lawsuits), but there’s obviously demand for this sort of thing, and you’d think that somebody in Hollywood should take note.
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April 20, 2007 at 15:35
Clearplay was a player long before the ruling. I think it’s a pretty creative approach to movie editing, especially for families, and hope they continue to do well. I considered buying a Clearplay player, but declined on principle. Even a great filter cannot sanctify an objectionable DVD or film. I won’t buy offensive DVDs for the same reason I won’t buy lottery tickets—it’s bad stewardship of God’s money.
Hollyworld is so bizarre. They cry “artistic integrity” whenever anyone talks about content filtering, and yet they gladly release in-flight and TV edited versions of their films. Their legal efforts to stop filtering has absolutely nothing to do with artistic integrity, and everything to do with arrogance, kneejerk liberalism, and anti-Christian bias. I can also say it really doesn’t have anything to do with money, either, since they could sell lots more DVDs just by putting both the original and the edited versions on one disc, and they would put every filtering business immediately out of business. They only reason they don’t do that is because they don’t want to have to admit that anything they ever do could possibly be “offensive.” It’s arrogance and pride. Nothing else.
I wish the Hollyworld folks would just give up the false “artistic integrity” bravado and nonsense and just give the public both versions. I still wouldn’t buy an offensive DVD on principle, but at least we could be done with their arrogant posturing, and they could make lots more money to assuage their wounded artistic pride.
April 20, 2007 at 17:31
It is amazing to me that I can be watching a perfectly good movie…it has my attention….and then…BAM! Gratuitous sex scene in the middle! What on earth for?
Can Hollywood not make gripping cinema without the sex and unnecessary Quentin Tarrantino’ish violence. (Of course, I do like to see things blow up and stuff just like the next guy). Just not all the blood a gore. YUCK!